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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25529128">Learning Curve</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CmonCmon/pseuds/CmonCmon'>CmonCmon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raising Warriors [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Not Flirting, Soft Wars, Sparring, Star Wars AU - Soft Wars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:09:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,622</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25529128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CmonCmon/pseuds/CmonCmon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaak Ti doesn't have a sparring partner. Colt would gladly fill that role. All he needs is a little practice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Colt (Star Wars)/Shaak Ti</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raising Warriors [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1835518</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Open Source Soft Wars</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Learning Curve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/gifts">Project0506</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenLune/gifts">Primarybufferpanel (ArwenLune)</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As always, everything is set vaguely in Project0506's wonderful  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683775">Soft Wars</a> universe.</p><p>Giant thanks to  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenLune">PrimaryBufferPanel</a> for the beta and all the help with this one, and to my friend Jac (with a secret AO3) for helping out!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alpha-6 glared, training staff in hand. “I forgot about this part.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s practice.” Colt wasn’t a cadet anymore. Alpha-6 wasn't the one deciding his future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to practice the offensive strikes too.” Six followed those words with a flurry of strikes, and Colt’s moving and blocking and keeping himself in the right places to anticipate. And the moment the strikes die down, Colt makes one jab at the unguarded flank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only seemingly unguarded. The Alpha snaps the block in place before he can connect. Colt never expected to hit something open, but the block gave him the right leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not much of it, but enough to snap the training staff sharply against the Alpha’s shin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hells, Ten-Sixteen!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alpha-6 still yelled at him like he was a cadet at least. “Sorry Six.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt had never been the smart one. That was Gree for sure, and that was why Gree was his one sane squadmate. Fox was the difficult one, prickly and stubborn, but underneath it, he cared so much. Neyo, well that was a different story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt had his own place in the squad, but somehow everything he’d done and proven off Kamino dissolved the moment he was around anyone who knew him as a cadet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not spending my downtime with you to get bruises.” Six grumbled, but Colt knew he was pleased Colt finally landed a good one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt was going to say something smart back, but he spotted a familiar shape moving at the edge of the room. The General was supposed to be in meetings all day, then she wasn’t. She had a visitor, and that was enough to rearrange all of her plans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A visitor who was taller than a vod, with brown skin and a stripe on his face, wild dark hair, and his muscles on display. He was a Jedi, judging by the lightsaber he made no attempt to conceal at his waist. That wasn’t everything Colt knew about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt wasn’t one to judge, but he knew the stranger was nothing like his General. He spoke leaning close into her space, waving his hands in emotive shapes as he went, flashing bright smiles and leaving little familiar touches as he went. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would have said the General wouldn’t care about those things, but the two Jedi had been side by side all day, and Colt had never heard her laugh so much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Six’s training staff smacked him on the shin. “You’re staring.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kark. Of course he’d go for the shin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know anything about him?” Colt didn’t want to ask, but it was only responsible of him to know who his General was spending so much time with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Other than the obvious? Not much.” Alpha-6 shook his head. “He’s come by before though. Just after the Seps attacked the labs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guy had one of his bare, muscley arms around her shoulder. She was a Jedi and she could take care of herself, but he didn’t have to like seeing it. The guy squeezed her playfully as he said something close to her horns. Montrals. Colt had looked it up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we sparring here or not?” Alpha-6 grumbled. “It’s bad enough I’m wasting my time teaching you a new way to flirt with your Jedi, but the least you could do is make it interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outrage spiked Colt’s blood. He was doing this to spar with the General, but that was only because he knew how dull practicing day after day with a training droid could get. He wasn’t doing this to flirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt didn’t need to snap and snarl. He brought the practice staff up. “Whenever you’re ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alpha-6 had known him a long time, and he clearly knew Colt wasn’t just exploring and relearning this round. The staffs sounded different when they connected, striking with a sure percussion, faster and more confident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt wasn’t the quickest learner, but what he learned, he owned. It was still defensive, but every block and parry came with a snapping reply. Testing Alpha-6’s guard, probing for weaknesses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He might be too inexperienced to win, but he was experienced enough to frustrate and bruise. That would be enough to get Alpha-6 to meet him on the mats again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe the Alpha was more annoyed than he let on, or maybe it was a test, but Colt finally got the opening he was waiting for. A small hole in his defenses on the high left that would normally be covered by a pauldron. But they were in loose workout gear, not armor. Colt lured him with a quick strike low right and another toward the ribs, and then he’s through, butt of the staff pressed lightly against the Alpha’s chest. Not even hard enough to bruise. Alpha-6 wouldn’t need a mark to be thinking about that one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So he can attack!” It’s a gleeful sort of crowing. The two Jedi had drifted closer to watch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“General.” Colt saluted her. The guy could declare a rank if he wanted one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man with her snickered. Right, Jedi. They read minds. He ought to be more careful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At ease, Colt.” Shaak sounded almost fond when she said it. “Alpha-6, still keeping your former cadets sharp I see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Six grunted. “More like he’s keeping me a little bruised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me take over if you want a breather.” The Jedi’s grin was bright enough to bring all the same discomfort as Six’s oft-copied Serial Killer Grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quinlan.” The General’s tone wasn’t exactly scolding, but it was in that system.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be fun,” The Jedi, Quinlan apparently, all but cooed. “If you’re game, Commander?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt was game. He wanted to improve, and Quinlan had seen what he could do against an Alpha. It was instinctive, the urge to check with his General for approval before agreeing. It wasn’t necessary. They were both on their downtime. If she objected, she could tell him so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m game, sir.” Colt allowed just a little smile. He was learning. This wasn’t his discipline. If he got his shebs handed to him, he’d be better next time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brilliant.” Quinlan was still grinning, something bright and wild in his eyes. Colt somehow understood Quinlan hadn’t meant fun with any implication beyond his enjoyment of the moment. The Jedi wanted to play. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alpha-6 held out the training staff and moved off the mat to stand with the General.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So.” Quinlan fell into his stance, all wild hair and dancing eyes. “How do you like your new posting, Colt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Jedi wanted staff-sparring and banter? Kark him slowly. Colt held the staff lightly at the ready. He didn’t know what to expect but he did know Jedi were fast. “Good deal less blaster fire, sir.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come now, it’s Quinlan, not sir. I’m not your General.”  Quinlan’s first to strike. Easy. Telegraphed. A warm up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enjoying your stay, Quinlan?” Colt could play along. If trash talk and banter was enough to throw him off his game, he’d have never made it past third cycle. Two strike low and then back into a defensive position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enjoying, yes.” Quinlan laughed. “Not much luxury here--” One very close jab at his stomach Colt barely dodged. “--But fewer worries about a knife in the back or a poisoned meal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That kind of strike requires a quick reset. Colt moves in, overhand fake, then for the leg. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Quinlan laughed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clever!” It was a genuine compliment. “You would have had your friend with that one.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt didn’t want to like the guy, but he was making it very difficult to prevent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quinlan waved him on with the staff resting only on the crook of his thumbs. “Keep going. Show me more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew better than to be goaded, but Colt didn’t believe that was what this was. Quinlan seemed to be enjoying his learning as much as Colt was. Every strike he’d catalogued over the past sessions with Alpha-6 was available to him. Every well-constructed combination. Quinlan might have more skill and experience, but Colt had not taken this spar in hopes of winning, only to learn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Colt took the offensive. Mind sifting through combinations and tactics, he pushed forward, matched strike for strike, but not overmatched. Somewhere along the way, Quinlan began to laugh, a rough, joyful sound. Colt couldn’t help but enjoy it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was finally in close when Quinlan did some impossible spinning thing, and landed behind him, staff just touching the base of his spine. “Well fought, Commander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt turned to face the Jedi. He was not convinced that was an accurate assessment. He might not have won the spar but he did feel lighter, more alive. “Thank you, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I look forward to our next spar.” Quinlan gave his shoulder a squeeze before leaning in closer. “But remember our friend has a terrible habit of leaving her left flank vulnerable after an attack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll see if we can work on that, sir.” Colt grinned, before glancing over to where his General and Alpha-6 stood, matching looks of concern-tinged fascination on their faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I always took you for the reasonable one! I can’t convince you to take the offensive for karking years, and you do this?” Alpha-6 threw up both hands. “Sithdamned karking Edee brats aren’t done giving me grey hair yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughing would have been poor form, so Colt simply collected the fallen staffs and saluted his General. “I’ll talk him down, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Colt.” She had that same barely there smile, fangs just peeking out over the curve of her lower lip. “The cadets will appreciate that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colt fixed the staffs back to their places in the rack, but he was certain he could feel Quinlan radiating approval. Maybe the guy wasn’t so bad to allow around his General.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks Projie for letting me borrow Alpha-6! Sorry to return him slightly-bruised!</p><p>Also, per handshake agreement with Gobayern16, we have agreed Colt is CC-1016, if you're wondering where that tidbit came from.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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